OPINION - None Of This Makes Sense

 

I'm a thinker.  Sometimes to a fault.  I look at the pieces, shy away from my first reaction, and try to come up with an answer that takes into account all the info.

It's not sexy, and usually doesn't make good radio.  The "media way" is to react strong, disregard the stuff that doesn't quite add up and light up the airwaves.

So right now when nothing makes sense I find myself without much to say.  So let me go away from the traditional opinion piece flow and go with a list of questions that I can't answer just yet.  I promise you all these questions are fully honest.  I am not making any points here.  I just really don't understand many things that are happening right now.  Any advice or responses from you would be welcome. 

1. Was the cop that killed George Floyd in such a disgusting, horrific way, doing it because Floyd was black?  Because he snapped and just lost it?  Or would he have done the same to a white guy who acted like Floyd did? 

2. Why are so many of the rioters white?  Are they this mad too about George?  Is it something else they are fighting?

3. Why do the rioters not see that the people they are hurting are from their own neighborhoods, not the people they want to get even with?

4. I feel like many people want me to feel like I have done something to make someone's life worse.  Have I?

5. Why does it seem so obvious to me, but so controversial to others, that the best way to stop the rioting is with heavy armed police and military presence in the riot areas?

6. If authorities are right, that the criminals are being bused from city to city, why can our FBI not figure out where the money behind it is coming from and shut it down?

7. Does our country really want an honest conversation about race? Are black and white people both willing to get out of their comfort zones and tune out their dog whistles and really look in the mirror?

8. This young officer who was laid to rest today, Cody Holte, is his story part of this because it was also people of 2 different colors?

9. To borrow the old cliche question - what would Jesus do?  What would he do tomorrow if he were here on this earth?  What would he have to say about this?

10. In the past, things like this have blown over in time.  But this time seems different. Will it be?

Steve Hallstrom is President and Managing Partner at Flag Family Media (radio) and Fieldstone Group (public relations and consulting) in Fargo, ND.  He also hosts a morning local radio news program 6-8:30 am on AM1100 WZFG and an afternoon video podcast on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/theflagwzfg/?ref=bookmarks  He can be reached at steveatflagfamily [dot] com.